Nels swanson



- (No Model.) v

N. 'SVYI'MWSOIIl KNOUKDOWN GOFFIN. No. 284,986. i Patented Sept, 1v1, 1883.`

Nirn STA-resi AlrnNar Fries.'

NELS SVANSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TVO-THIRDS TO JESSE V. LEVIS AND 'JOHN T. RICHARDS, BOTH OF SAMEPLACE.

KNocKDowN COFFIN.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 284,98,.clated September 11, 188?.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NELS SWANSON, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Coffins, which are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a longitudinal vertical section of a coffin having my improvements. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line x w in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a pla-n section on the line y y in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an inside elevation of one of the side pieces detached, showing only one end. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section, showing only one end, with a modified locking device. Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on the line z z in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detailed perspective view of one of the keys which join the bottoni to the side and end pieces. Fig. 8 is a detailed and enlarged perspective view of modified upright straps shown in Fig. 5. I

The same letters denote the same parts in all the gures.

My invention relates to that class of coffins which are shipped from the manufactory in separate sections, for convenience of packing, and are put together by the retailer 5 and the -`obj ect of it is to provide fastenings for the sevin the claims.

v of the cofn, andB the end pieces.

In the drawings, A denotes the side pieces Each side piece is rabbeted at the ends from top to bottom to receive the end pieces. The narrowing of the coffin toward the ends gives the rabhets a direction oblique to the length of the coffin, and the vertical edges of the end piece are cut into awedge shape to fit them, and a joint is thus formed which resists separation horizontally. A strap, C, of metal, is fastened on the inner side ofeach side piece, and extends from top to bottom of it, just without the rabbet. The strap is made somewhat longer than the interior height of the coffin, and the surplus is bent horizontally and fastened to the bottom D also by screws or other detachable means. A hook-shaped lug, c, projects horizontally from that edge of the strap which ad- Vjoins the rabbct, the hollow of the hook being toward the strap. A pair of vertically-tubular keepers, e, are fastened to the innersurface of the end piece at the same height as thelugs on the side piece s, one keeper near each vertical edge of the end piece. This keeper may be formed by bending one end of a metal strap, E, into a half-cylinder having an axis transverse to the strap, and then fastening the un-` bent part of the strap in a horizontal position on the end piece, with the convexity of the cylinder outward, the end piece being slightly recessed to receive the bent end of the strap. This keeper incloses one leg, f, of a link, F, also of metal, whose legs j' and j" diverge from top to bottom, and are of a thickness to slide4 easily within the keeper e and lug c, respectivcly. The distance of the legs apart at the top is less than the distance between the keeper and the free edge of the lug c. At the bottom it is considerably greater. Consequently by moving `the link upward within the keeper it can easily be slipped lin or out ofthe lug, and after being slipped into the lug it may be crowded downward, when it will be irremo'vl' able and will hold the side piece and end iirmly together. By afiXing a strap and lug such as I have described at each end of each side piece, and akeeper and link at each side of each end piece, I provide a means of fastening the side pieces ofthe coffin to the end pieces, which is at once cheap, simple, perfectly secure, and capable of being readily unfastened.

Instead of the usual tongue-and-groove or dovetailed joint for fitting the side and end pieces through the bottom, I cut a horizontal groove, c, in each side piece, and. a similar groove, b, in each end piece, just above the lower edge, and a similar groove, d, on each edge of the bottom. In the latter groove I put a suitable number of keys, G, of, preferably, hardwood, of suitable shape and size to fit in without crowding, and to project a distance not greater than the depth of the corresponding groove in the side or end piece. The side and end`pieces being applied, the keys will slip into the remodification of the device for fastening the side and end pieces together. strap C, instead of bending laterally to form a hook for the link which is attached to the strap E of 'the end piece, hasa notch, c, cut in its upper edge, to receive the free end of a bar or latch, E, which is pivotally set in the nearer end of the strap E. This latch is threaded at itsouter end, which projects a little beyond the lug c, and receives a nut, E2, which may be screwed close against the lug, and thereby hold the latch in its place in the notch. By unscrew- The lug c on ther g v l y 284,986

ing the nut far enough to bring it out of contact with the lug, the latchfcan readily be lifted out and the side and end pieces separated. For all ordinary purposes, however, the construction first described will be found preferable.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a knockdown coin, the combination of a strap, C, arranged at the upright edge of the side piece and having a hook bent thereon, and a catch pivoted on the end piece and arranged to engage with the hook, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the strap C, provided with the bent lug c, the strap E, provided with a tubular keeper, e. and the tapering link F,

arranged to turn laterally and slide vertically i in the keeper, substantially as and for the purpose described.

NELS SVVANSON.

AVit-nesses:

JN0. C. MACGREGOR, NV. C. CoRLrEs, 

